30.6.15

She finished 4th in the Junior World Championships, she owns Best Shooter
Award, she became Junior women´s athlete of the year in the USA, she has
courage, power, passion - all the drives for professional racing. But there is something
missing. The funding support. Just to have a chance competing in the World Cup
and go to the Olympics.

But you have the power to change it. You are not just ordinary fan
anymore!

You are the privileged one that can send Maddie to PyeongChang in 2018. You can help her in her RallyMe campaign to get money for the next season.

Get to know Maddie´s journey
better - check out this exclusive talk story we made for you.

- When I was little I
always wanted to be a Veterinarian and just loved animals but
I’m not interested in that career field now (I still love animals though!). I
didn’t really grow up doing biathlon, and didn’t get involved in the sport
until I was 15 years old. But I did start cross country skiing when I was 8
years old. When I was younger I didn’t really have “goals” besides just wanting
to have fun and win races!

- I started biathlon when I
was 15, but didn’t compete in a lot of races. I would say I
began to think more seriously about biathlon when I was 17-18 years old. I went
to the US Junior World Trial races when I was 17 and did not make the team. I
think that was when I realized I wanted to continue competing in biathlon and
prove to myself that I could be good in this sport. The following year I did
not go to college and trained full-time for biathlon and ended up doing well at
the Youth/Junior World Championships in Presque Isle, Maine. I’m glad I took
the biathlon route.

- I love biathlon because it
is challenging, fun, and takes a lot of dedication. It’s not
like many endurance sports, because it adds the challenge of shooting at a high
heart rate. It is a very fun sport to compete in and watch as well, and you get
to go to a lot of fun/cool places around the world. It’s a sport that takes a
lot of dedication to get to the elite level, you can’t just become a World Cup
medallist one day. You have to work every day to get there.

- I really wish biathlon was
more popular in the USA, and I’m not entirely sure how we
can make it a more popular sport. I think even if we had better results people
still may not know much about the sport. I think we need to have better
marketing…but you also cannot do biathlon in a majority of the USA because of
the weather. It just doesn’t snow in a good portion of the USA. It’s a big
country, and I hope we can make biathlon become more popular.

- The success I appreciate
most is almost obvious,my 4th place finish at Youth World Championships in the Sprint in Presque
Isle, Maine. This success really made me realize that I belong in this sport, and
that I can succeed. It was also one of the first races I ever shot clean, so it
was definitely a confidence booster, knowing that if I do everything right I
can make it out on top. This was one of those results where it changed my
mentality on the sport. I’m not here for a little while, I’m going to do
biathlon until I can’t do it anymore.

- I wouldn’t say that it
was easy to get onto the US National team, because you
have to prove yourself and show great results in order to be considered. I’m on
the “X” team which is an elite development group, and it was a new team when I
got named in 2014. I’m very thankful they have this part of the National Team,
because this way I get to train with the “A” team and be around the National
Team coaches at all training sessions.

- I definitely feel like the rookie among most of my teammates! But I would say we all get along great and we consider each other good friends. Training is fun and competitive, and we have team dinners and get together every now and then. I think although I feel like a rookie, my teammates respect me as a member of the team. I would say that my shooting speed and accuracy are just as good as or better than the “A” team ladies. I just need to work on my ski speed and strength.

- Susan
Dunklee and Hannah Dreissigacker had very great results this past season, and Annelies Cook and our newest teammate
Clare Egan also had good results. Seeing them doing well makes me happy, and definitely
motivates me to train harder so I can be competing with them for those results
on the World Cup. They are a very motivating group of women and see that I want
to get to their level and are great to work and train with. - I seem to be more motivated
to train if I’m training with other people. Training is always
more fun with a group. I also tell myself that I will not get better results
this winter if I do not do the training I am supposed to now!

- I would say that neither of
the World Cup stages I raced last season were really my
best races but I felt very strong and skied faster in Ruhpolding during the
relay. My shooting in both Ruhpolding and Antholz were not very good. I was
pretty nervous, but I think now that I have experienced the World Cup
atmosphere I will be more prepared for future races and will shoot better. My
favorite race is the Pursuit, because you can see where you are compared to the
rest of the field and it’s just a very fun race. So I would be excited to
compete in a World Cup Pursuit if I get the chance!

- My results were better in
Presque Isle than in Minsk for a few reasons. First of all, I
think the Junior field in Minsk was a bit more competitive than the Youth field
was in Presque Isle. Also, I think having trained in Presque Isle and knowing
the course very well helped a little bit but I wouldn’t say that it was the
reason behind my success. I am excited for World Juniors this upcoming season,
I would like to achieve better results than I did in Minsk.

- The Olympics in 2018 is the
ultimate goal, and I believe if I keep training hard and
continue to progress on the international race circuit, than I will be a
contestant for the Olympics. It’s one of those goals where it seems to be just
big enough where it scares you a little bit, but I am really excited to see my
progress between now and 2018.

- I haven’t thought too much
about funding support, I was going to wait and see how
this RallyMe campaign works out for me. And if I need more support than I will
figure that out later. At this moment I do not believe I could make a nude
calendar like the Canadian biathletes. Maybe if the other US women were wanting
to make one. But I do not believe they want to do that.

The proud winner of the Best Shooter Award from 2015 USBA National Championships

- I would love to be a
fiddler, but I do not actually know how to play
the fiddle (I really want to learn!). I can play the piano, clarinet, and the
saxophone. I am currently trying to learn the guitar as well. I really enjoy
playing music and singing. I could imagine playing music as a way of getting
money, but I’m not sure how much money would generate from that. The only genre
of music I can play well is classical music on the piano and I can play pretty
much any type of genre with the clarinet and saxophone. I am hoping I can
improve my guitar skills because I really enjoy listening to music similar to
that of Ben Howard and Nathaniel Rateliff. I think it would be fun to perform
like them.

- As of right now I don’t
think Icould leave my
country and change nationality because of better funding and the certainty
being in the A team. One of the best parts about racing internationally is
representing your home country. Maybe if biathlon did not exist in the USA in
the future for any reason, then I would compete for another country. But right
now, no, I could not do that.

- If somebody could give me
the whole amount in my RallyMe campaign, I think I
would consider them my main sponsor, and would promote their business if they
had one. I really don’t know what a good prize would be for $14,000. We would
have to discuss it and figure out a good prize. I have not thought of that before, because I find it very unlikely.

- I enjoy the beginning of
spring, coming out of winter it’s nice to finally have some warm days but
still be able to ski. I don’t really like summer that much…I am not a fan of
hot sunny days, unless I am sitting on the beach and relaxing. I also hate
bugs, and during the beginning of the summer the bugs can be very bad here in
the Adirondacks.

- Rollerskiing can be fun, and
is a great way to train in the summer. I think I
am a much better skier in the winter though, compared to summer biathlon
racing. I am a lot better at rollerskiing than I was a few summers ago, but
it’s still different than skiing in the winter. I would never change it for
biathlon on snow. I just love skiing on the snow and shooting in the winter too
much!

- My favorite national cuisine
would definitely be Italian. They have such hearty and delicious
meals, everything is so good! Since I live in the Olympic Training Centre, I do
not cook for myself but I do enjoy cooking when I get the chance. My favorite
meal to cook is a Tomato Basil pasta, it’s very easy to make and tastes so
delicious. The recipe I usually follow is here: http://www.apronstringsblog.com/one-pot-wonder-tomato-basil-pasta-recipe/

- Here is my message for the
young people that want to live their dream just like me: I
started out just like you, I didn’t train much and was not very good at
biathlon. You just need to put the time and effort into it, and you will see
improvements. Just make sure you’re having fun and really enjoy the sport! I
like the quote, “Don’t look for success, work hard. Success will find you.”

4.5.15

It seems we have finally
much more reasons for happiness according to German´s women biathlon after retirement
of the legendary Lena.She is truly one of the reasons. With previous two
golds and one silver from the Junior World Championships in Presqle Isle she really
enjoyed her debut in the World Cup last season standing on the podium twice
with other German girls in relay. What comes next? Just get to use to see her smiling
on the podium.Introducing the next German talent ready to earn success after success. Enjoy the exclusive talk story of Luise Kummer.

-A good
friend of mine asked me 12 years ago, if I´d like to join kind of test
training for biathlon because we were looking for a sport in our leisure time.
It was instantly much fun for us and I am doing biathlon since that moment.

- Biathlon challenges me day by day
and pushes me to my limits to be the best kind of person I can be. It is a
possibility to make my wishes come true with hard work.

- I trained hard and hoped for great
results before travelling to USA for Junior World Championships at Presque
Isle, but of course I didn´t expect two gold medals and one silver. I
celebrated this success a little bit with my team, but also with my friends and
family because these are the people who are always supporting and motivating
me.

- I really enjoyed my first World
Cup season with
standing on the podium twice although each day was like a rollercoaster. I never
expected that this season could develop as it did and I was kind of surprised of
myself.

- The qualification for the World Championships
in Kontiolahti was a big dream of me and I knew before it that my shape is
not so good to run the relay although I was part of 2 successful relays in the
World cup. I was cheering the girls on the track and was ´hanging at the edge
of my seat´. I was so happy about them reaching the medal!

- Each athlete is standing at the start
with the dream of winning World Cup title, World Championship races or the
Olympic gold. But one of my biggest hopes is to qualify for the next Olympic
Winter Games in PyeongChang.

- There are some days when it´s extremely
hard to motivate,
though it´s normal! In general I get my motivation because I´ve got a big
ambition for reaching my dreams and goals.

- At the momentthere is nothing that can influence me so much that I could lose my
motivation for biathlon, but I could imagine if there would be for example a
bad injury or if more training would be dangerous for my health.- I can´t decide what I like more if
prone or standing, but I prefer track with more straights instead of hills. I
like to start very early in the race- you can concentrate just on your race and
the chance to be influenced by the results of the other athletes is lower then.

-Talking
about liking summer, it
depends on the training that we are doing. It´s nice that we train really
variable and versatile but it´s also normal that not everything´s fun.

- In my childhood I played flute and
trumpet, but now I
can´t play it anymore. My other hobbies are for example cooking, knitting and
spending time with my family and friends. Of course that’s not enough to be my
core business. After my sports career I may like to start studying.

- However I´m really interested in
fashion and beauty I can´t say at the moment if I could be face of a
fashion brand. I think it would depend on the brand but I never got an offer
for something like that.- I believe that every sportsman has special
rituals before the race like testing skis, eating something and concentrate
as good as possible.- I have some idols but not specific ones. But my life
motto is - "Give every day the chance to be the best day of your life."

- In my free time I love to brunch or have breakfast comfy and cozy
with my family or friends and spending a lot of time outside when the weather
is nice.

- Travelling is ok for me however
it´s a lot of stress, especially if you are really tired or little bit kind of
out of order. Surely I´m always happy to arrive at home after a long time and
just come down as well as relaxing for some days.- I really like Antholz because it´s such a beautiful and idyllic place, but I had been there some years ago before my World Cup races. I also enjoyed Hochfilzen and Nove Mesto na Morave.

-Referring to my sports career,
my dream is to start at the Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang 2018. Of
course my dream for the future is just to be happy and healthy and to found a
family some day.

28.4.15

There is no just one extraordinary biathlete in
Finland. I am sure you got it. After her debut five years ago still fighting
for best results tirelessly, despite injuries and sicknesses. With pure joy. With
pure love.

It was pleasure to make this exclusive talk with really nice girl Laura Toivanen.

This is her story for you, not just as
for fans - but as for friends.

- In the beginning I was just
cross-country skier, I started my biathlon career at the
age of thirteen. My big brother was first in my family to start with biathlon,
then I followed him to the trainings and once I also tried shooting - I was so
good at once that I started to love this sport immediately! We were three
wonderful girls in our Kontiolahti Sport Club: Mari and Sarianna, who had been
on my side since then and Mari Laukkanen is of course still in biathlon! We had
fun during the years so I think that’s why we all came through teenage years
and we all let ski in World Cups and World Championships!

- Firstly, I love biathlon because it’s
a fascinating sport including two very different
disciplines: skiing with rifle on your back is physically demanding, and then
you need to shoot focused and be mentally strong. I love this combination and I
enjoy the trainings. Secondly, it makes so much fun and it surprises me every
time! Thirdly, I make friends for forever and this networking gives me a lot of
experiences I would otherwise never get!

- I really enjoyed the last season, even though I didn’t get the personal best results
that I should have because of being sick! It was really more than I ever expected,
because the previous season was so difficult and I nearly wanted to quit. I
loved to be back in World Cup after some years away from there. However, I felt
immediately that I belong there when I saw the familiar faces. I have missed
these biathlon scenes and friends!

- We are really in the shadow of KaisaMäkäräinen
if we check the media and sponsorships in Finland. Otherwise if I still lived
in Joensuu I wouldn’t see Kaisa that much during the training season, so I
wouldn’t see any shadows. We have a couple of girls beyond Kaisa and Mari who
are quite equally fighting for the two remaining places in the World Cup. So I
need to progress more and be physically more fit so that I could ensure my
starting place in the World Cup.

- It is and it isn´t better for me to
race without that kind of pressure as on
Kaisa. Of course everybody is expecting the results from her but it’s just
about how you handle this pressure. For me it’s always a place for surprise but
I give myself pressure too, so then I try too much and I fail sometimes just
because of that.

- Finnish biathlon popularity
is only and just based on Kaisa. When she once retires, we will be in the brink
of devastation. Sponsors and media visibility will be around point zero, I think, but
of course I hope it won’t be!

- My biggest success in life is my sporty lifestyle, including my biathlon career
of course, with my family and boyfriend around, supporting me whatever I do and
wherever I want to go! I have nearly completed my Master Studies in sports
medicine among biathlon career and I will be ready for the future whatever it
brings me!

- Motivation comes from deep inside of me, it’s pure joy of biathlon which makes me wake up and
train every time. Bad weather is just excuse. You just need to wear right
clothes! If I don’t have mood for training, it might mean I’m tired of training
or getting sick so I will rest instead. If you train for yourself you will
succeed. I know also that if I don’t feel like doing that I will retire and do
some other enjoyable things.

- I study sports medicine and I like it, it was also my natural interest because I’m an athlete
and because once I would be the expert on that field and help people and other
athletes to be healthy and prevent their injuries in advance. That’s also an
important part of my future life after biathlon.

- Doping is, unfortunately, still part
of endurance sports when people want to gain more than what
they would naturally reach. I still believe there is a clean sport, and testing
is a natural part of it!

- I study also nutrition as a minor
subject in the university so healthy food comes
along with that. I like chicken-wok with nuts and spicy food. Above all I like
to eat like an athlete should, but I still can eat dark chocolate or pizza in
Italy! I cook a lot and nearly always, sometimes trying something new and I
also bake if there would be just more eaters for my cakes!

- Now I work with my Master’s thesis in Sports medicine in my free time. So I wake up, eat
a strong breakfast, write and read a lot of scientific reviews. I have lunch at
the university, then a little break and maybe jogging or doing Pilates at the
gym. Then I read or chill or hang around until I’m back in the bed.

- My favourite venue is Anterselva and
Ridnaun. Both situated on the mountains and
almost always sunny! Otherwise I would name Östersund, because I trained and
lived there so it feels very familiar to me and it has special place in my
heart.

- I like straights more than uphills because I have better technique there! I like prone
more than standing postition, because I am more accurate there most of the
time. I prefer being first in the start list not at the end, then I don’t need
to wait and sit in the wax cabin and after my race, I can’t do anything more to
the results, the others make it.

- I love summer! I enjoy sun and get so much positive energy of the
sunny clear blue sky! I have been swimming in the lakes since I was 4 years old
and after the long and exhausting winter season I am planning a holiday
somewhere where is warm and a beach.

- In the winter I would like to have
holidays in the mountains with snow and sun that I like. Maybe
Italian or Austrian Alps, with snowboarding, massage and spa. The second option
is a holiday on some exotic Island or something with beach and green nature
around me! Of course good company included makes it perfect! In the summer I
like to go to our summer cottage at the lake (Finland is really country of
thousand lakes). It’s really beautiful there!

- Horrible race includes often bad
skies, shooting mistakes or something like that. But it’s
unnecessary to be wise afterwards. I will do the needed to recover physically
and focus more on the next race! Every day is a new chance (except pursuit race
of course). Unfair play and complaining are things I don’t like and get me
pissed off. If I have a horrible race, good food and a friend to talk with can
make me calm and happy again. And of course music and sun!

- Music has been around me since I was a
little girl. I have played accordion and piano since
I was seven years old, and I have been also competing successfully in
accordion. I don’t train often with music but I sometimes listen to music
before race days and races. I like every kind of music, from classic to electronic
music! Armin van Buuren is one of my favourites!

- The morning before my race starts with
jogging and waking up with music and listening
my body feeling. Then I try to eat good breakfast even though I’m not good at
it! Then depending on what time is the race I take dry shooting and then we
travel to the stadium. Ski testing, zeroing, warm-up and race. That‘s how does
it go.

- I don’t have any kind of funny story
or experience in my career! I think we should ask
Dasha (Darya Domracheva)! Funniest stories are often related to athlete’s parties
or travelling among biathlon venues, but I think those stories should not be
published!

- If I were just an ordinary biathlon
fan I would cheer for Andi Birnbacher. He
is great and sympathetic athlete and I like to talk German to him! Otherwise I
would cheer for Mari and Ahti, two finnish biathletes who has gone a long way
to reach that level! (Not mentioning Mari is good friend of mine and Ahti my
brother). Benjamin Weger, Lisa Hauser, Dimitry Malyshko, Dorothea Wierer - all
of those are really kind and honest!

Laura with her teamates Kaisa Mäkäräinen and Mari Laukkanen after sprint in Oberhof 2011.

- I cried a lot for biathlon, on the day of World Championship women relay here in
Kontiolahti when I was told to go home and I was not allowed to start at my
home World Championships. I was just reserve. I broke down.

- I want to be perfect and that can cause problems. Sometimes I also waste
my energy on wrong people and issues.

- I dream about a healthy life with a
lovely family and an enjoyable job until I retire and
about starting travelling around the world. If I am going
to still succeed in biathlon it would be just positive extra on that. If not, I
will be happy with all that I’ve reached so far.

30.3.15

So far you deal with her three
medals from Winter Universiade 2015, two Junior World Champion titles in Summer
Biathlon. So she really deserves your attention. Look closer to the lines
below.

To not miss anything from her
life we give you this exclusive content.

Meet the Slovak girl giving smiles all
around the world - Pauluš Fialková and her talk story.

- My biathlon story began when I was
eight, as a hyperactive child my parents
made me choose between two sports – swimming and biathlon. I didn´t like
swimming so I forcibly chose biathlon. And it became the love of
a lifetime.

- I wanted to be all sorts of
professions when I was a child. Most
often I was talking about becoming an astronaut but I never thought about
professional sport.

- I appreciate every medal, every
success. Even the 10th place from the World Cup
has the same value for me. There is something special I appreciate on
every success from my races.

- At
the Winter Universiade I didn´t feel pressure at all, I like
to race at home, I like it there in Osrblie and the fans were cheering for
me highly.

Having fun at the Olympics in Sochi - with teammates Terka Poliakova and Martina Chrapanova

- After the Universiade people concratulated
me, but nothing has changed markedly among
my rivals in the World Cup.

- We have new coach for the season and I take that fact as a positive change. In general
I shot better than the previous season although some races were really
horrible. The worse is that I didn´t finish in the top 10 as in the
previous year.

- I like summer biathlon,
I am good on roller skis, I even have a feeling
I am better on roller skis than on snow. But I can´t imagine summer
biathlon as a part of Summer Olympic Games. Biathlon is winter sport, the top
is in winter, there can´t be two tops during the year. There must be also time
for hard training.

- I couldn´t bear the media
critics during and after Olympics in Sochi. I had
cried but I could pass through it and I became resistant. I try
to not read the critics, not to react to it. There were and always will be such
people - the best coaches of all time that are sitting and philosophing on the
sofa. But they didn´t know how they helped me, I became balanced thanks to
them. Things I can´t influenced I become reconciled with and that´s
it.

- My first Olympics were my best and
my worst experiences in my life. And
I don´t want to talk about it anymore.

- My relationship with my sister is
great I think, especially thanks to the sport.
I don´t know if I am an idol for her but she followed me from early
years until joining the national team.

- I can imagine I could
leave my country because of better funding and training
conditions. I understand those people that did it or will do it.
I love Slovakia but I hate the chaos system that we have here.

- The tracks in Kontiolahti I like
most. Already at Junior Championships it was
good for me to run there.

- One year ago before Kontiolahti it was almost end of my season but at last I travelled there.
I was angry, maybe because of that I made my best result so far.

- Successes motivate. It is worse to find motivation inside of yourself when it is
not going well. I don´t deal with motivation for training, I take it
as my everyday work that I do fairly. People go to work even if it is
raining, don´t they?

- I would like to travel a lot but not through countries I already
travel to. For me perfect holidays are with sea, sun, beach and regular rest.
No ultra activities.

- I can imagine being the face
of a fashion brand but I don´t think they would ask
me exactly with such offer.

- I can be headstrong. It could be bad and also good habit. Every day I go step
by step forward to my aims and I don´t give up. What are my weaknesses?
They say I can be pretty nasty when I have a bad day.

- When I have rest day I sleep
long, in summer I have breakfast on the
terrace, turn on radio, read the newspapers, drink coffee. I go to the
city with my friends for shopping, cosmetics and to visit hairdresser. All these
things I like just like every woman. Then at the evening for example I
like to have barbecue with glass of wine, to watch a film (without ads) and
the next day I am ready to train feeling rested.

- My biggest fans are my family and my
good friends, classically. I cheer for all
Slovak athletes that takes it seriously. I cheer for everybody even the
haters.

- I try to avoid the question
about my dreams for several years. Of
course my dreams are connected with sport but It is my secret. Otherwise I want
to be fine in my life, to find what I look for and to be smiled, humble
and satisfied with myself.

2.2.15

The podium girl...The podium really fits her.She
had the privilege to stand there twice in December, both in Obertilliach after IBU Cup sprint
races. Well, Italy rocks this season!I
hope for more podiums for her, for more true big smiles. Be prepared for that and
get to know something more personal.

This is exclusive story talk with Federica Sanfillipo we made for you.

- I started
with cross country skiing when I was 5 years old. But not for
a long time, because there was a little shooting range near my house and I was always
watching other kids shooting. I told my mother I want to try it too, so I began
and I train until today. I think now I'm living the big dream of my life.

- When I was a child I wanted to be a helicopter pilot.

- My nicknames
are Fedi, Fede, or Kikka.

- After the win and the second place in Obertilliach in
December I had great feelings. I was so happy I made good job and I was able to see that
hard work and believing in myself finally paid off.

Photo by Detlef Eckert

- I don't celebrate my successes. I think that
I can celebrate in April when the season is over.

- I like Obertilliach in winter but
especially in summer. My favourite biathlon venue is Antholz with its beautiful
panorama.

- In general
I'm satisfied with my seasonso
far because in the beginning of the season I didn't know about my shape. I hadn´t
been training for more than 1 month in June because of bike accident. I must
also say that during the season I had a lot of up and downs.

- Family and
friends who are waiting at home for me make me happy in my
life.

- The crowd
and cheering can sometimes influencemy races. Especially when you are in
the World Cup for the first time. In Oberhof it was so unbelievable for me to
see all those people screaming and shouting. But at least I always try to be in
my own bubble and concentrate on myself.

- Cross-country
skier Therese Johaug from Norway is my idol. It's
unbelievable in what rhythm she runs during a race but I admire also her strength
and mental fighting that makes me watch her.

- I think my
biggest supporter is my family but also my sport group of police
team is one of my biggest supporters. I can practice this sport since 5 years
now as a professional athlete with their help.

- Shopping is
one of my weaknesses.

- When I'm not
motivated for training I look for other people who would
come to train with me and that helps a lot. My biggest motivation is my
gladness to what I like and wanted to do.

- Of course
my favourite food is Pizza. If I could I would like to eat Pizza
every day but of course I cannot eat Pizza every day!! I like to cook meat and Pasta
and normal food that doesn't need a lot of time.

- Sometimes
I have "Italian mood" in my blood especially when I'm driving the car but what
really makes me nervous is chaos and disorganization. But it doesn´t last for a
long time because I can calm myself and smile then.

Federica loves to relax by the sea

- I think I
have no other special talents. I don't know what I would be doing
If I do not practice biathlon. Maybe something connected with sport. Maybe Sport
professor or Physiotherapist.

-When my rifle
and skis are taking rest I like to sleep long and doing some relaxing
things such as going to the beautician or hairdresser.

- My favorite relaxing place is by the sea. There are a lot of dream places I would like
to visit. For example Nepal, Caribbean islands and many others.